Where art, design & fashion are totally the same thing.

The Film Set of “The Great Gatsby”

It’s not often I find myself going nuts over the film sets. Especially when it’s American. Especially when it’s in the 1920’s.

But this, this is an exception.

Usually, I find Baz Luhrmann’s style a little over the top. Everything was to be SPECTACULAR, that it invades your every senses until you can’t take it anymore. Well, when I first read the book (FYI, Year 11 or second year of senior high for all the American folks), the image in my head was somewhat over the top as well. So for me, the exaggeration of every colour, light, design is so befitting.

Have you played Cluedo? Well, when I said Colonel Mustard in the Ballroom with the Candle Stick, I mean no other than THIS ballroom, with that kinda candlestick, in that mustardy colour.

Okay, it’s really Gatsby’s ballroom.

And here is Gatsby & Daisy dancing in that wondrous ballroom with a grey haired man trying to high five them both…

As I have told my fiance many many times before, I NEED a walk in wardrobe. But I’m totally willing to settle for a built in like this one:

And do you want to know how long it took to build, paint and decorate Gatsby’s mansion?

Just 14 Weeks.

If they can decorate Gatsby’s mansion in 14 weeks, I can plan my wedding in 2 years.

I also read somewhere that my friend Leo who happens to star in this film, loved this rug so much, Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martine gave it to him as a present.

I LURVVVVVVVVV EVERYTHING BAZ!!!!! EVERYTHING!!!!!

In total contrast to the masculine room that is of Gatsby’s, above is Daisy Buchanan’s sitting room. Not exactly how I imagined when I read the book, but I have to say it’s fairly close. I thought there would be a lot more gold and a matching gold little Pomeranian running around somewhere.

While I would not reject if someone gave me Daisy & Tom’s mansion that is in the picture above, I personally prefer Nick Carraway’s cottage below. I could totally imagine myself drinking tea in the garden, with my pinky stuck up and speak slowly in my fake British accent.

So without watching the movie, it’s probably unjust to call the film style “befitting”. But here is something Toby Maguire said when asked what would Fitzgerald think about this re-make, which I completely agree with:

“I’m not a writer, but my personal opinion is that a movie adaptation of a play or a novel isn’t just flattering for the writer, but gives new life to stories that deserve it. If William Shakespeare’s plays had only been performed when they were written, we wouldn’t know about them today. But because they’re constantly interpreted either on stage or film, these stories live on. So whether there’s a particular interpretation from a subjective point of view, whether a viewer appreciated it or not, I love the idea. As for Gatsby, the spirit of the book leads me to believe that F. Scott Fitzgerald would, at least, have appreciated what we’re trying to do.”